1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, and a computer readable recording medium storing image processing program for processing sequence images acquired in chronological order.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a technique for enabling efficient observation of a large number of sequence images, Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2004-521662, for example, discloses a method for changing an image display rate depending on a similarity between images. More specifically, the similarity between images is obtained based on a difference between pixel values or the like of images temporally neighboring to each other. Then, when the similarity is high, i.e., when change between the images is small, the images are displayed at an increased display rate, and, when the similarity is low, i.e., when change between the images is large, the images are displayed at a decreased display rate.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-296569 discloses a method for changing a display rate or making a setting whether each image is to be displayed or not, depending on an occupancy rate of a region of interest (feature region) in each image constituting sequence images. More specifically, the region of interest in an image is detected based on its color information or the like. Then, when the occupancy rate of the region of interest in the image is high, the image is displayed at low speed with a decreased display rate, and, when the occupancy rate of the region of interest in the image is low, the image is displayed at high speed with an increased display rate or the image is even not displayed.